Reclining chairs



Sept. 23, 1958 A. M. BANK ETAL RECLINING CHAIRS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledJuly 22. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 22, 1955 mail INVENTORS ALBERTM. @MKM/ALEX J. Km2

T'TORNEY United States Patent C RECLINING CHAIRS Albert M. Bank, JerseyCity, and Alex J. Katz, West Orange, N. J., assignors to Super SaglessSpring Conrpauy, Jersey City, N. J., a partnership Application July 22,1955, Serial No. 523,903

9 Claims. (Cl. 155-106) thereby elongating the length of the chair andincreasing the comfort of the user.

Still another object of this invention is to provide in a chair of thecharacter described means to removably support the backrest so that thebackrest may be lifted lbodily out of the chair frame.

' Yet a further object of this invention is to provide in a constructionof the character described, means to removably engage the front end ofthe seat with the mechanisni for tilting the front end of the seatupwardly upon reclining the backrest.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a reclining chairofthe character described which shall be relatively inexpensive tomanufacture, easy to manipulate,

vcomfortable to use, which shall comprise relatively few and simpleparts, and which shall yet be practical to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out. j The invention accordingly consists in thefeatures of construction, combinations or" elements, and arrangement ofparts which will be exemplied in the construction hereinafter described,and of which the scope of invention will be indicated in the followingclaims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown various illustrativeembodiments of this invention:

Figfl is a vertical longitudinal view from front to rear, lshowing themechanism on one side of a reclining chair embodying the invention, andshowing the chair in upright position;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing the mechanism at one side of thereclining chair; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating the recliningposition of the chair.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, designates a reclining chairembodying the invention. The same comprises a frame 11 which may be ofusual construction.

Said frame may be made of wood and comprises front legs 12, rear legs13, side Walls 14 supported thereby, and a back wall 16. At the frontends of the side walls are front arm walls 17. The side walls 14 shownin Fig. 2 are somewhat divergent forwardly being inclined to thelongitudinal axis 'of the chair. Said side walls are interconnected by ahorizontal transverse brace member 14a Yarid a vertical transverse bracemember 14b.

IThe chair further comprises a backrest 20, a seat 21, and a footrest22. The backrest, seat and footrest are controlled by similarsymmetrically disposed mechanisms 25 located at opposite sides of thechair. These mecha- Lm nisms 25 are similar. Only one of said mechanismswill be described herein.

The mechanism 25 comprises an elongated supporting bar 26, attached tothe inner side of one of the side walls 14. The supporting bar 26comprises an elongated flat portion 27 contacting the inner side of saidwall 14 of the frame. Said portion 27 is somewhat inclined forwardly andupwardly. Extending from the rear end of portion 27 is an inwardlyprojecting flange 28 from which extends a web 29 parallel to wall 14.Extending outwardly from web 29 is a ange 30 from which extends a flatportion 31 contacting the inner surface of wall 14. The portions 28, 29,30 and 31 are generally in alignment with the portion 27. 'Portion 31 isformed with a longitudinal slot 32 extending to its outer edge 33 forreceiving a bolt 34 which serves to attach supporting bar 26 to theframe. Portion 27 of the supporting bar is bolted to the frame 14 bybolts 34 and 35. The web 29 is formed with a slot 36 extending to itsupper edge for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

The web 29, it will be noted, is not inclined to the longitudinal axisof the chair as are the side Walls 14 and portions 27 of the supportingbars 26, but instead is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chairas shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. y

Extending from the forward end of portion 27 of the bar 26 is aninwardly extending arm 40 from which extends forwardly a longitudinalportion 41 parallel to the axis of the chair, but inclined forwardly andupwardly, the same as portion 27. Extending from the forward end of saidportion 41 is a portion 42 in the plane of portion 41 but inclinedupwardly and forwardly at a greater angle to the horizontal. Extendingfrom the front end of portion 42 is an outwardly bent back arm 43inclined upwardly and rearwardly; and extending therefrom is a llange 44contacting the inner surface of side wall 14 and formed with a slot 45extending upwardly from its lower edge. Extending through the slot 45 isa bolt 46 serving to attach the front end of the supporting bar 26 tothe side wall 14. Extending through the slot 36 is a pivot pin 50 xed toa lever 51. Pivot pin 36 rests in the bottom of the slot. The lever 51has an upwardly extending arm 52 disposed above the pivot 50, and adownwardly extending arm 53 projecting below said pivot. The frame ofthe backrest 20 is bolted to the upwardly extending frame 52 by bolts54. The backrest can be lifted up bodily by bringing pivot 50 out ofslot 36. The backrest can be prefabricated separately and then assembledwith the frame. When the backrest is reclined from the upright positionof Fig. l to the reclining position of Fig. 3, the lever 51 is rotatedin a clockwise direction. The seat 21 comprises a frame 55 having afront wall 56 and a rear wall 57 interconnected by side walls 58.

The seat frame 55 may be upholstered as at59 by any suitableconstruction. The seat 21 is located between the two opposite supportingbars 26. Attached to the outer sides of the side walls 50 of the seatframe 55 are channel-shaped brackets 60. Each bracket 60 has outwardlylextending feet 61 fixed to the outer side of the side wall 50 by screwsor other fastening members 62. The feet 61 are interconnected by aU-shaped channel portion comprising side flanges 63 interconnected by aweb 64. The web 64 carries a pivot pin 65 for the purpose hereinafterappearing.

It will be noted that the brackets 60 are located adjacent the rear endsof the seat frame. Attached to the outer side of side wall 58 of theseat frame 55 is bracket 66, attached to said side wall by screws 67.Each of the brackets 66 has a web 68 formed with a' slot 69 extendingfrom its upper end for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

It will be noted that the web 69 is connected to the flanges 70 of thebracket 66 by arms 71.

Pivoted to portion 41 of the supporting bar 26 as on pivot pin 75, is alever 76 having an upwardly extending arm 77 and a downwardly extendingarm 78. The lower end of the arm 78 carries a pivot pin 80 connected bylink 81 to a pivot pin 32 at the lower end of arm 53 of the lever 51.Pivoted to the pivot pin 65 on the bracket 60 is an arm 84. The lowerend of the arm 84 is pivoted as by pivot pin S to an intermediateportion of the link 81, being pivoted closer to the front end of saidlink than to the rear end.

Portion 41 of the supporting bar 26 carries a pivot'pin 90 disposedforwardly of the vpivot pin 75. Pivoted to the pivot pin 90 is a bellcrank 91 having a forwardly extending arm 92 carrying at its front end,a headed pin 93 passing through the slot 69. The bell crank lever 91also comprises a downwardly extending arm 94 carrying at its lower end apivot pin 95. Pivoted to the pivot pin 95 is one end of a link 96. Theother end of the link 96 is pivoted as by pivot pin 97 to the arm 78 ofthe lever 76 between the pivot 75 for said lever and the pin 80 whichconnects the lower end of said lever to the link 81.

It will now be understood that when the backrest is reclined from theposition of Fig. 1 to the position of Fig. 3, lever 51 is rotated in aclockwise direction, thereby pushing the link 81 forwardly and rotatingthe lever 76 in a clockwise direction. During such movement, the pivotpin 65 will move from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shownin Fig. 3, thereby moving the rear end of the seat somewhat upwardly andrearwardly. Rotary movement of the lever 76 in a clockwise directionwill also move the link 96 to the left, looking at Fig. 1, or forwardly,thereby rotating the bell crank 91 in a clockwise direction and causingthe front end of the seat to be tilted upwardly by reason of theengagement of the pin 93 on the forward end of arm 92 of said bellcrank, with the bracket 66 attached tothe front end of said seat.

It will be noted that when the chair is in upright position, thefootrest 22 is in substantially vertical position, extending downwardlyfrom the front end of the seat. Said footrest 22 may comprise atransverse member 100, to the ends of which are attached angle-shapedbrackets 101. Each angle-shaped bracket 101 comprises a flange 102contacting the rear surface of the transverse member 100 and a flange103 at right angles thereto. Carried by the upper end of flange 103 is apivot pin 104. Pivoted thereto is the upper end of a lever 105. Theopposite end of lever 105 carries a pivot pin 106. Pivoted to the pivotpin 106 is one end of a lever 107. Said lever 107 is pivoted at anintermediate point thereof, by pivot pin 108 to the forward end ofportion 41 of supporting bar 26. The lever 107 has an arm V109 extendingdownwardly from the pivot pin 108 and an arm 110 extending upwardly fromsaid pivot pin. At the upper end of arm 110 is a pivot pin 111 connectedby link 112 to a pivot pin 113 at the upper end of arm 77 of lever 76.

Carried by the fiange 103 below the pivot pin 104 is another pivot pin115. Pivoted thereto is one end of a link 116.

Carried by the opposite end of the link 16 is a pivot pin 117. Pivotedto the pivot pin 117 is one end of a lever 118. The lever 118 crossesthe lever 105 and is pivoted thereto by a pivot pin 119. The lever 118is pivoted at its upper end as by pivot pin 120 to the portion 41 of thesupporting bar 26 adjacent the ange or arm 43. Any suitable upholsterymay be applied to the transverse member 100 of the footrest 22.

It will now be understood that when the seat is moved from the uprightposition of Fig. 1 to the reclining position of Fig. 3 and the front endof the seat is tilted upwardly, link 112 will be moved rearwardlythereby causing lever 107 to rotate in a clockwise direction about itspivot pin 108 thereby moving the pivot pin 104 forwardly and upwardlyand thereby causing the lever 118 to rotate about the pivot pin in aclockwise direction thereby projecting the link 116 forwardly. Suchaction y:auses the footrest 22 to be swung forwardly and upwardly.Rotation of lever 118 in a counter-clockwise direction may be limited bya stop pin 107a fixed to portion 41 of member 26 entering notch 107b insaid lever to retain the footrest in a vertical Vposition projectingdown from the front end of the upholstered portion of the seat. Saidstop pin 107a will also be contacted by lever 10? when the latter isswung upwardly to limit its rotation when the footrest is almost inhorizontalposition, slightly tilting downwardly.

It will be noted that the footrest as a whole moves forwardly relativeto the frame 11 thereby elongating the chair and adding to the comfortof users, especially if they are taller people.

When the person sitting in the chair in reclining position wishes tomove the chair to upright position, the weight is shifted forwardly tothe front end of the seat, thereby causing the bell crank 91 to move ina counterclockwise direction. Such action will cause the lever 51 tomove in a counter-clockwise direction from the position of Fig. 3 to theposition of Fig. 1, to move the backrest to upright position. Suchaction, furthermore, will cause the link 112 to be moved forwardlythereby causing lever 107 to swing in a counter-clockwise direction,whereby the footrest is retracted back to the position of Fig. 1.

To prevent the backrest from moving upwardly or becoming disengaged fromthe supporting bar 26, there is pivoted to each of the pivot pins 50 atail bar 130. The tail bars project downwardly from the pivot pins 50and they are each formed at their lower ends with through openings 131to receive any suitable nail or fastening member for fastening the lowerend of the tail bar to the wood supporting frame of the chair. Thus,after the pivot pins 50 have been inserted into the slots 36, the lowerends of the tail bars may be fastened to the frame to prevent accidentallifting up of the backrest while permitting the backrest to rotate.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in' which theseveral objects of this invention are achieved, and which is welladapted to meet the condition of practical use.

As possible embodiments might be made in the above invention, and asvarious changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it isto be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative land not in alimiting sense.

We claim:

1. In a reclining chair, in combination, a frame, a backrest pivotedthereto, an arm fixed to the backrest and extending downwardly below thepivot point for said backrest, a lever pivoted to the frame and havingan upwardly extending arm and a downwardly extending arm, a first linkinterconnecting the downwardly extending arm of the lever with thedownwardly extending arm on the backrest, a second Vlink interconnectingan intermediate portion of the first link to the seat adjacent the rearend thereof, a bell crank pivoted to the frame and having a forwardlyextending arm and a downwardly extending arm, means to pivot theforwardly extending arm of the bell crank to the seat forwardly of theconnection of the second link to said seat, a third link connecting thedownwardly extending arm of the bell crank with the downwardly extendingarm of said lever.

2. The combination of claim 1, in combination with a footrest, a secondlever pivoted to said frame, said second lever having an upwardlyextending arm and a downwardly extending arm, a fourth linkinterconnecting the upwardly extending arm of the second lever with theupwardly extending arm of the first lever, apair of crossinginterpivoted levers, means to pivot one end of one of said crossinglevers to the downwardly extending arm of the second lever, means toconnect the other end of said rst crossing lever to the upper end of thefootrest, means to pivot one end of the second crossing lever to saidframe, and a fifth link connecting the other end of said second crossinglever to said footrest below the upper end of the latter.

3. In a reclining chair, a frame, a backrest pivoted to the frame, anarm fixed to the backrest and extending below the pivot point for thebackrest, a lever pivoted to the frame and having an upwardly extendingarm and a downwardly extending arm, a first link connecting thedownwardly extending arm of the lever to said arm on said backrest, abell crank pivoted to the frame and having a forwardly extending arm anda downwardly extending arm, means to pivot the forwardly extending armof said bell crank to the seat, link means to connect the downwardlyextending arm of said bell crank to said lever, means to support therear end of the seat, a second lever pivoted to said frame and having anupwardly extending arm and a downwardly extending arm, a linkinterconnecting the upwardly extending arm of the second lever with theupwardly extending arm of the first lever, a pair of crossinginterpivoted levers, means to pivot one end of one of the.crossinglevers to the downwardly extending arm of the second lever, a footrest,means to pivot the other end of the first crossing lever to the upperend of the footrest, means to pivot one end of the other crossing leverto the frame, and a link interconnecting the other end of the secondcrossing lever with the footrest below the upper end thereof.

4. A reclining chair comprising a frame, a backrest pivoted thereto, anarm fixed to the backrest and extending downwardly below the pivot pointof said backrest to the frame, a first lever pivoted to the frame andhaving an upwardly extending arm and a downwardly extending arm, a linkconnecting the downwardly extending arm of the lever with the arm onsaid backrest, a second lever pivoted to said frame and having anupwardly extending arm and a downwardly extending arm, a linkinterconnecting the upwardly extending arm of the first lever with theupwardly extending arm of the second lever, a pair of crossinginterpivoted levers, means to pivot one end of one of the crossinglevers with the downwardly extending arm of the second lever, afootrest, means to pivot the other end of the first crossing lever tothe upper end of the footrest, means to pivot one end of the secondcrossing lever to the frame, a link connecting the other end of thesecond crossing lever to the footrest below the upper end thereof, aseat, means `to support the rear end of the seat on said frame, and

means to tilt the front end of the seat upwardly when the backrest isswung backwardly to reclining position.

5. The combination of claim 4, said last-mentioned means comprising abell crank pivoted to the frame and having a forwardly extending arm anda downwardly extending arm, link means to connect the downwardlyextending arm of the bell crank to the downwardly extending arm of thefirst lever, said means to support the rear end of the seat comprising abracket on the rear end of the seat, a link connecting said bracket withan intermediate portion of the first link, a second bracket attached tothe seat forwardly of a first bracket, said second bracket lbeing formedwith a slot extending up from its lower end, and a pin on the forwardlyextending arrn of said bell crank removably engaged within said slot ofsaid second bracket.

6. In a reclining chair, a frame, a backrest pivoted to the frame, aseat, means to tilt the front end of the seat upwardly upon recliningthe chair, said seat and backrest being movable relative to one another,a footrest, a pair of crossing interpivoted levers, means to pivot oneend of one of said interpivoted levers to the frame, a linkinterconnecting the other end of the rst interpivoted lever with thefootrest, means to pivot one end of the second of the interpivotedlevers to the footrest, another lever pivoted to the frame and having adownwardly extending arm pivoted to the other end of the secondinterpivoted lever, said other lever having an upwardly extending armand means to connect the upwardly extending arm to the backrest.

7. In combination, a frame, a supporting bar xed to the frame, saidsupporting bar extending from front to rear and being formed with a slotextending down from its upper edge, a backrest, a pivot pin on thebackrest received in said slot and resting at the bottom of said slot,an arm fixed to the backrest and extending downwardly below said pivotpin, a lever pivoted to the supporting bar and having a downwardlyextending arm and an upwardly extending arm, a first linkinterconnecting the lower end of the downwardly extending arm of saidlever with the downwardly extending arm of the backrest, a bell crankpivoted to said supporting bar and having a forwardly extending arm anda downwardly extending arm, a seat, a bracket fixed to the seat andhaving a slot extending upwardly from its lower end, a pivot pin at theforward end of the forwardly extending arm of the bell crankdisengageably received within said slot, a second link interconnectingthe lower end of said downwardly extending arm of the bell crank withthe downwardly extending arm of said first lever, a second bracket xedto the seat, a third link interconnecting the second bracket on the seatwith an intermediate portion of the first link.

8. The combination of claim 7, a footrest, a second lever pivoted to thesupporting bar and having an upwardly extending arm and a downwardlyextending arm, a fourth link interconnecting the upwardly extending armof the second lever with the upwardly extending arm of the first lever,a paid of crossing interpivoted levers, means to pivot one end of one ofthe crossing levers to the frame, a link interconnecting the other endof the first crossing lever with the footrest, means to pivotallyconnect one end of the second crossing lever with the downwardlyextending arm of the second lever, and means to pivotally connect theother end of the second crossing lever with the footrest.

9. A reclining chair comprising a frame, a backrest, a member fixed tothe backrest and carrying a pivot pin, a member fixed to the frame andbeing formed with a downwardly extending slot receiving said pivot pinwith said pivot pin resting in the bottom of the slot, said member onsaid backrest having an arm extending downwardly below said pivot pin, aseat, means to support the rear end of the seat on said frame, meansconnected to said arm to tilt the front end of the seat upwardly uponreclining the backrest, a footrest and means to project the footrestforwardly of the frame and swing the footrest upwardly upon recliningsaid backrest, and a member formed with an opening receiving the pivotpin, said member proiecting downwardly from said pivot pin and beingfastened to the frame to prevent the pivot pin from moving up out of theslot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,117,979 Cromer Nov. 24, 1914 2,672,919 Luckhardt Mar. 23, 19542,767,772 Forry Oct. 23, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 101,613 Great Britain Oct.5, 1916

